Real-estate company Morguard has joined forces with Canada’s CENGN (Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks) and Nokia to launch smart building living labs in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa.

The $6.5m project gives Canadian start-ups and scaleups an opportunity to advance technologies that make buildings safer, more efficient and more connected.

The Living Labs transform three Morguard properties into real-world innovation environments: Place Innovation, an office property in Montreal; Bay Club, a multi-suite residential property in Toronto; and St Laurent Shopping Centre, a retail property in Ottawa.

With Nokia’s 5G and connectivity at the core, innovators will be able to validate products such as AI systems that predict equipment failures, robotics that automate maintenance and sensors that reduce energy use in real time. All projects will be designed to integrate seamlessly into daily operations.

“With CENGN, Morguard is proud to bring advanced smart buildings into Canada’s innovation ecosystem,” said Angela Sahi, president of Morguard. “These labs reflect our commitment to advancing smart, sustainable properties while accelerating technologies that improve the everyday lives of the people who live, work and shop in our communities. At the same time, they highlight our dedication to creating long-term value for our stakeholders by building resilience, driving sustainability and leading change in the real estate industry.”

The smart building living labs are part of CENGN’s Living Lab initiative, supported by a $45m federal investment through the Strategic Response Fund. This national initiative will empower more than 100 Canadian start-ups and scaleups to prepare their technology for market-readiness and scaled growth.

“Nokia is proud to be one of the main 5G and fibre technology partners for CENGN Living Labs,” said Jeff Maddox, president of Nokia (www.nokia.com) in Canada. “Continuing our long-standing relationship with CENGN, we are committed to encouraging technology innovation and digital transformation across Canada by providing advanced networking resources and our leadership to pave the way for Industry 4.0.”

CENGN’s Living Lab initiative combines technical expertise with infrastructure from partners such as Morguard to fast-track the validation and adoption of digital technology.

“By leveraging our comprehensive programme services and funding alongside our partner’s real-world smart building environments, we enable Canadian innovators to bring their cutting-edge technologies to market faster and with greater confidence,” said Chris Joyce, vice president, of CENGN (www.cengn.ca). “This initiative strengthens Canada’s position as a global leader in building automation, IoT, advanced communications and applied AI technology. These technologies are key to transforming building infrastructure maintenance and operations, and supporting the country’s economic resilience and long-term growth.”

Start-ups and scaleups interested in participating can apply at www.cengn.ca/living-lab-initiative/smart-building-living-labs.

Morguard (www.morguard.com) is a Canadian real estate and property management company with retail, office, industrial, hotel and residential holdings owned directly and through investments. Morguard also provides real estate management services to institutional and other investors. Its owned and managed portfolio of assets is valued at $18.7bn.